Darkest Night
by IntoTheWilds
Summary: AU ONE-SHOT: There is life after death, or at least existence as Penelope comes to Learn. For a long time she had hoped to see her baby genius again, but maybe it was a case of be careful of what you wish for...


**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **_This came about through a bizarre dream I had last night. Don't ask, really, just don't! I blame the tea I drank just before bed! O.o anywho you know the drill, read, review PM me if you like my lovelies!_

_Emza_

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**SUMMARY: **_AU ONE-SHOT: There is life after death, or at least existence as Penelope comes to Learn. For a long time she had hoped to see her baby genius again, but maybe it was a case of be careful of what you wish for...__  
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**DISCLAIMER:**_ I do not own Criminal Minds Characters :)_

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_In the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing. **~Robert Ingersoll**_

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Stood at the decorative grave a single white rose in her hand Penelope Garcia could remember with the harshest of clarity the day SSA Dr Spencer Reid died. It was a painful memory. A raw wound she could scarcely forget and even now when she closed her eyes she could recall perfectly those bright hazel eyes, half smile and the silly little ornament he had picked up for her just because he thought it would have a nice home in her office and because it was just one of those things family did.

It had been October two thousand and eleven. They had just closed a particularly horrible case and Garcia had taken it harder then she normally did. Spencer, always the most perceptive of them all, had offered to take her for a coffee. The intent was simply to have them step back and remember that not everything in the world was ugly.

They went to a small Café not far from the BAU, it was quiet, just the odd bystander. Garcia waited at a quaint little table just outside while Spencer went to get their coffee. When he returned he had a silly little pink porcelain dog. They had been selling them for some charity at the counter and he had bought it in an attempt to cheer her up.

Garcia remembered that moment right down to what way the young Genius' curls were framing his face and she remembered with sickening clearness the instant Spencer's expression changed. He jerked with a grunt, eyes blowing wide and it was only when Garcia saw the red stain spreading over his chest did Garcia even realise something had happened, her gut wrenching scream leaving her just as Spencer fell.

It had been a case of mistaken identity. That was the horrifying part. A gang related thing and poor Spencer just happened to look like one of the people they were after. Even now Garcia couldn't help but wonder how things would've been had she had declined Spencer's offer and they had just gone home.

With a watery smile the tech analyst bent and laid the flower next to a bouquet of roses, and a single Fire Lily.

"Happy birthday my dove," said the blonde softly before blowing a kiss and letting the gesture disappear on the wind.

As she walked away, pulling her coat tighter about her body, head hunched in an effort to ward off the cold, Garcia never once realised she was being watched. Hidden by the dark seclusion of trees, the male smiled softly to himself and once the car pulled away from the cemetery, Spencer Reid dropped from his hiding place landing with a grace he had never possessed when living.

The earth never stirred as he moved, his coat whispering over the grass without rousing the tufts of green. A cat nearby lifted its head momentarily a warning hiss escaping the storm coloured animal, but Spencer merely smiled and continued on his way. He could hear birds, cars and people in the distance. He could see a woman stooped over a grave, shoulders trembling with grief. All these things were easy access to the genius, but accept for that cat who was still eyeing him as if he were prey; no one else could see him. Not unless he wanted them too of course.

"You do know she's chosen her as a target to get under your skin right?"

At the sound of the gruff familiar voice, Spencer twisted settling his hazel hues upon a male much bigger than him, his electric blue irises bright with disgruntled heat.

"When does Khepri ever not want to get under my skin Alistair?" Spencer asked offhandedly, "As if it matters. Garcia is off limits, I choose where her soul goes remember?"

Not a religious person by any stretch of the imagination, Dr Spencer Reid hadn't known what to expect when it came to death. Of course he liked to think of a warm sunny place where all the spirits go, it made it easier on the job when he had to look at such innocence torn to shreds. The reality, however, was something else entirely. Even souls of the dead had a purpose and apparently there was more for Spencer then simply wandering through a blissful heaven. No, just like many before him, Spencer was made an Angel and not just any Angel, but an Angel of death. It was his job to help spirits across the divide, but it was also his job to choose who went where. A sad fact that most hoped wasn't true, there was indeed a hell.

Khepri was an Angel too, a Hell Angel, or demon, whichever terminology best suited. In the afterlife there were rules, and unfortunately you always had to have one rule breaker and that was Khepri. Sadly she didn't answer to a higher power, so it was up to Spencer and Guardian Angels such as Alistair to keep her in check.

"I know that Spence," Alistair responded gruffly stalking after the Angel when he started for the cemetery gates, "that won't stop her from trying to hurt her."

Spencer stopped a shudder of annoyance climbing up his spine, "she wouldn't dare," the male eventually growled.

Alistair cringed; he could practically taste the rage rolling off his companion. One thing he learnt a long time ago, there were two Angels you never crossed, a Hell Angel and of course a Death Angel. Where in life Spencer had been a placid individual, he was a passionate easily angered creature in death.

"You know her Spence, words been going around for a while that she had eyes on your old team, now we know she's after Garcia. I can get Jonah on guard duty if you want?"

"No," Spencer responded, "it's me she wants to piss off, so I'll deal with it."

Before Alistair could even protest a pair of wings exploded from Spencer's back, one white the other black and with a single beat, the Angel was airborne and gone.

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~o~

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Garcia entered the BAU building with a heavy heart. It was harder then she liked to be her sparkly self, but there were two days a year she couldn't help that, both in October. Spencer's birthday and death, two days which only had a week between them. Bag on her left shoulder, her arms filled with files, the blonde smiled gratefully when a fellow agent held the door open for her and hastily made her way toward the conference room.

They had a new case, and for once she was glad, it would make keeping her mind busy and getting through the day a little easier. Setting her load down, Garcia began setting everything up, fixing a lock of yellow behind her ear. It was when she was reaching for a pen to scribble something down that the perky woman realised she was no longer alone.

The woman could only be described as breathtaking in a crimson suit, foxy green eyes studying Garcia's every move. Ebony hair fell in thick silky ringlets to a waist that was Barbie doll slim and her pillowy red lips were pulled into a smile that could only be described as sharkish.

"Um, I'm sorry," Garcia frowned noting she did indeed have a pass, "but you can't be in here."

"Oh?" The woman questioned the dangerous grin never leaving her face as she ran lethal looking nails over the round table, "Am I intruding Penelope?"

Dread took hold swiftly leaving her insides cold and eyes darting toward the window the bubbly blonde went positively rigid. Just outside stood Hotch hand reaching for the door where it had frozen midair, right next to him was Morgan looking as if he were about to say something. Neither man moved an inch.

"W-What's going o-on?" Garcia asked her words trembling.

"I'm not sure yet," the woman answered playfully, moss hues bright with malice, "I really haven't decided what to do with you yet."

"I wouldn't have believed you capable of patience Khepri."

The familiar voice washed over Garcia like a warm blanket and turning slowly a strangled sound caught in her throat. There stood by the window arms casually folded was the last person she ever expected to see, "S-Spencer?"

Spencer smiled warmly at the petrified woman before moving his penetrating gaze to Khepri once more. He grinned at her, hazel eyes alluringly bright as he stared at the beautiful dark haired beauty across from him.

"Five months hasn't changed you Khepri."

"Nor you Spencer," Khepri responded darkly eyes darting toward the trembling and confused Garcia, "do you Angels always have to spoil my fun?"

"Ah, you know us Khepri," the Angel answered with a cheerful smile, "we just can't have you demons getting up to mischief."

_Angels, Demons?_ This was starting to sound like a Dan Brown novel! Lifting a hand to worry the pink pearls at her throat Garcia voiced the first thing that came to mind.

"Spencer, y-you're supposed to be dead!" She half shrieked, "what the bloody hell is going on?!"

"Nothing you need to worry about Garcia," Spencer told her firmly all pretence of good humour disappearing at the sound of his clearly terrified friend, "you really are stupid Khepri. Targeting them? Are you truly that suicidal?!"

Each word grew angrier and Garcia was stunned. Never _ever_ had she seen Spencer so enraged before and every ounce of it was directed at the grinning female just a table away. _Targeting them?_ She really had no clue what was going on! All she knew that a dead man was stood two foot away from looking remarkably well for the deceased.

"Oh Spencer," Khepri crooned before pulling an Athame blade from Lord knows where twisting it between her nibble fingers, "I had hoped to simply irk you, but drawing your blood would be just as much fun."

Before Garcia could even blink everything changed. A shimmer ran over Khepri and horrified the female found she was staring at the most bizarre sight she had ever seen. Her skin had turned black, leathery dragon like wings spread wide from her back and a membrane of veins covered her form pulsing like hot coals. With an inhuman shriek she charged for Spencer, but her baby genius was ready. Right before her eyes he transformed, huge black and white feathered wings erupted from his back, his skin turning a shimmering silver. His hair faded to a lush lily white and his eyes, sweet God, they were blood red and glowing with pent up rage. He was a perfect blend of light and dark.

In that moment Garcia had seen death...and he was pissed!


End file.
